What happened to all of the educational channels?

[Jonathan Whatley]

I heard that Duck Dynasty was the #1 show on television or at least the #1 show on cable television. I haven't watched it. The trend in reality shows seems to be exploiting southern stereotypes.

I'm afraid my people deserve a big share of blame for reality TV today.

In this era of downloading, streaming and TV-on-demand, reality shows have become appointment television, and Toronto is cashing in. Nearly 100 of them were made here last year […]

Toronto’s home reno shows, which are broadcast all over the world, are among the worst fakery offenders. On Love It or List It, the W Network [in Canada, HGTV in the U.S.] series recently touted by Hillary Clinton as her favourite show, homeowners decide whether to keep or flip their houses following hijinks-filled renovations. Several accounts confirm that the producers film two endings—in one, the owners love it, and in the other, they list it—and then air whichever makes for better television. […]

With so many shows being made here every year, casting has become a challenge—there just aren’t enough teenage brides or bat exterminators (yes, they have their own show) willing to make a spectacle of themselves. Producers post casting calls online, looking for splashy personalities. I saw ads for a Toronto show called Cougar Baiting, offering virile young men the opportunity to date older women and earn $5,000.

Attention Maniac.

Another ad simply read, “Got a scar?”

The Real World: how Toronto is cashing in on the reality TV boom (Emily Landau, Toronto Life, August 22, 2013)